Today marks the 16th Bloggaversary of Sober Catholic. In honor of that, I’ve edited and cleaned up a messy note I wrote who-knows-when on “The Sober Catholic Way.” It is a summary of everything I’ve been doing since I became sober on May 22, 2002. Some I do better than others. 

This was originally a long, 2,000ish word post. There was the summary you see in the next paragraph followed by a longer version that fleshed out the details. But then I decided this morning during a feeling-sorry-for-myself pity party that the longer version is itself a summary of an even much longer version that’s been lurking in my head for 15 or so years. That being a book on the topic of “The Sober Catholic Way of Sobriety.” Or something like that. I shall begin working on that right away. I do not know when it will be finished.

The summary of the ‘Sober Catholic Method’ or ‘Way’ or ‘whatver’ is:

• • Go to Mass and live the Sacramental life of the Church.
  • Adore Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Perhaps with frequent visits.
  • Say the Rosary every day.
  • Study the Bible. Make sure it is a Catholic one.
  • Study the Catechism. The old classic ‘Roman Catechism’ as well as the contemporary Catechism of the Catholic Church
  • Read the Lives of the Saints. Eventually a few will greatly appeal to you and then you’ll cultivate a relationship with them.  One may even pick you!
  • Read the “Imitation of Christ” by Thomas a Kempis.
  • Read St. Therese’s autobiography, “The Story of a Soul.” Bonus: also try the book “The End of the Present World and the Mysteries of the Future Life,” by Father Charles Arminjon. She did and it transformed her.
  • Read St. Faustina’s diary “Divine Mercy in My Soul: the Diary of St. Faustina Kowalska.”
  • Cultivate a devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
  • Marian Consecration. Either by the Method of St. Louis deMontfort or that of St. Maximilian Kolbe.
  • Live the Beattitudes.
  • Live the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy.
  • Live the Little Way of St. Therese.
  • Live the Message of Fatima.
  • Live the Divine Mercy Message. 
  • Live the Matt Talbot Way.  The “Matt Talbot Way to Sobriety” encompasses all of the above. Matt did it all. He was a devotee of St. Therese. In fact, TO SLAKE A THIRST: The Matt Talbot Way to Sobriety, calls her the ’Theologian of the Matt Talbot Way.” Matt had a strong devotion to the Sacred Heart. In the Way, you abandon the drink or any other addiction by transferring your love for it onto Jesus Christ. In essence, you give your addiction to Him. If you pick up the bottle or whatever your addiction is again, you are taking back your gift to Jesus.

Wow, that’s a long list, Paulcoholic? Isn’t a Twelve-Step program simpler? Yeah, maybe. But doing the above has kept this sick puppy sober for over 20 years and I knew that AA couldn’t. Some people demand happiness in this life and they find it often by avoiding suffering all costs and more and more turn to things which can only be called ‘addictions.’ Whether it is the typical alcohol or drugs, or an inordinate attraction to the self, or to the Internet and social media, or  to fandoms (pop culture things like TV franchises, movies, comics or other entertainment stuff.) Someone may not be an alcoholic or a drug addict, but I betcha they’re ‘addicted’ to something. You need a lot of tools to crowd all that stuff out or at least keeping them in their proper perspective is an attribute of the Sober Catholic Method. Or Way. Or whatever… 😉 So this all could be a wholistic approach to dealing with life in general and addictions in particular.

There are probably books or devotions that should be on there, but this my list. Yours may be slightly different. Anyone who takes a look at the list will arrive at the conclusion that it is simply a decent Catholic lifestyle. We are all supposed to go to Mass, Confession, and live the Gospel life which is learned by studying the Bible, Catechism, lives of the Saints and their teachings along with a few particular devotions to assist us on our way – to help us ‘stay on the beam.’ So be it. What makes it a ‘Sober Catholic Way?’ Life hasn’t been perfect for me nor am I a serene, happy saint-to-be. Life sucks at times, and I am often cranky and melancholic. But God never promises happiness and peace in this life. Only in the life to come. This should help me get there.

If you’ve appreciated this blog as well as this post, you can PayPalMe a non-tax deductible donation (my real name is Paul Sofranko, like the destination link says.) I will greatly appreciate every donation. (I do have plans for the money; plans to buy software which will help out in the production and marketing of self-published books. I figure that if I can raise sufficient funds through the kindness of strangers, then I’ll feel responsible and actually start working on the planned books. More on that later. )

 Or, you can just buy a lot of my books I’ve already done:

Are you a creative Catholic? "The Catholicpunk Manifesto" is my new book exhorting Catholics to apply their faith to change the culture for the better!

Know someone, perhaps yourself, who might like Catholic devotionals for alcoholics? Please take a look at my books! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)